Electric heater



July 9, 1929. D. u. POWELL ELECTRIC HEATER Filed April 2, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet awmwto'c Witness July 9, 1929. D. u. POWELL ELECTRIC HEATER Filed April 2, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ill/ll/l/IA E /In a P110712 742" BAH/I July 9, 1929. D U, POWELL I 1.720.092

ELECTRIC HEATER Filed April 2, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented July 9, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT emery DALTON U. rowELL, 0F woonsEIELn, OHIO, AssIGNoR, BY DIRECT Ann MEsnE'As sIGNMENTs, TO THE OIL RECOVERY CORPORATION, or WHEELING, wEsrvI n- I GINIA, A. CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA. g V

. ELECTRIC HEATER.

Application filed April 2,

seal against entrance of moistureinto the heater casing, around a current-conducting cable leading to said casing, said cable being a suspending cable for the entire heater in the present disclosure.

Another object of the invention is to provide new and improved means for tenaciously connecting the cable with the heater casing in a manner to prevent possibility of accidental disconnection.

A still further aim is to provide a construction which is such as to permit the heater to be manufactured of such small diameter as to be readily receivable between a well casing and a pump or tubing therein, without the necessity of removing said pump or tubing, this sameconstruction however being adaptable to heaters of greater size. I a 1 Yet another object is to'provide an electrical heating unit of novel construction and possessing a number of advantages to behereinafter explained. a

A still further aim is to make novel provision whereby either a two-wire system or a single wire system of wiring may be used. I

lVith the foregoing and minor objects in view, theinvention resides in the novel subject matter hereinafter described and claimed, description being accomplished by reference to the accompanying drawings; i

Fig. 1 is a side elevation partly in section showing the preferred application "of the heater. Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional viewpartly in elevation showing the. construction of the heater. 1 y Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view.f'; Figs. 4:, 5,6 and 7 are horizontal sectional views on the correspondingly numbered lines of Figs. '2 and 3. I Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail vertical section similar to a portion of Fig. 3 but showing the manner in which the resistanceelements of 1928. Serial No. 266,664.

the heating unit may be grounded: for use 1n a one-wire system of wlring.

Figs. 9 andlO arehorizontal sectional views on lines 9v9.and 10.10 of Fig. 3, showing features of construction of the heating unit.

Fig. 11 is a vcrticalsectional view substantiallyon line 11-11 of Fig. 10 but omitting the heater casing. a l F ig.- 12 is a vertical sectional view-,online 1212' of Fig. 11. I i

. Fig. 13 is-a diagram of'one of the resistance elements and afconducting' wire to be hereinafter described. Fig. 14 is a side elevationof a'plate which is instrumental .in I constructing one 'of the shells which-contain the resistance elements anld the conducting :wires'shown in Fig. 13. I 1 in Fig. 14. r

Fig.- 16 is an end elevation of said plate. Fig. 17 is aydetail verticalsectional view on line 1717 of Fig.. 11. 1 1 3 l 1 5 isian edge view; of' theplate shown The form of construction selectedforillusf tration, may-be considered as preferred, with the understandingthatwithin the scope of the invention as claimed, numerous variations may be made.

I C denotesa tubular casing heating unit N, ora plurality ofsuch units suitably connected with each other, said cas ing being formedeither ofa single length of piping with appropriate adjuncts, or of a plu rality of such-:len'gths coupled'together. In

the present'showing, the upper end of this for an electrical casing is provided with anupstanding tubu from e eck N into thecaSing C,

saidiconducting means being shown" asconsistmg of twov conductorslQ-QO, although if des1red,'a single wire system of wlrlngcan be used. The lower end ofthe sheath 18 is secured in the upper end of th'eneckN as will be hereinafter more specificallyfdescribed. Fluid-tightlyrsecuredto and rising from tions as desired. This tube surrounds and is sheath- 18 serving as moisture-excluding means, said moisture-excluding means also extending around the neck N {the deviceD is tenaciously clamped to the lower end of the armor and a further connection is established embodying the lateral portions 21 of thecable armor, and final packing at the upper end of .vided in neck N and tube T, through which 'toinject the cement 2627.

the device is accomplished b the packing means M; i The various d'etaifis of these several elements will be hereinafter specifically described, but it'may be briefiy state d thatthey perform the functions of effectively con-- necting the cable with the heater casing G and'preventing-the entrance of any moisture.

In. the. form of construction herein disclosedya coupling nipple 22 connects the lower end of the tube T with the upper end of the tubing formingthe wall of the casing C,

the upper end of said nipple serving also as means for connecting the neck with the body portion ofsaid casing C. A gasket 23 Y is shown closing the lower end of the nipple 22 and bearing against a washer 24, threaded into the upper portion of the casing C. The upper-end of neck N is shown of internally flared form to receive a downwardly tapered, transversely split wedge ring 25 which surrounds :t'lIG'lOWBI end of the sheat-lrlS. If this sheath be of metallic nature, a soldered or wiped joint is provided between it and the wedge ring 25 and between the latter and the neck but-if said sheath be of non-metallic material, other provision may be made to establish a substantially fluid-tight connection between it and the neck N. Below the wedge ring 25,- theneck N and the nipple 22 are filled with an appropriate plastic cement 26 which seals'against entrance ofmoisture. Thecable-clamping device D is threaded into the upper end of the tube T and the portion of thistube between said'device D and the nipple 22 is filled with moisture-excluding cement 27. Threaded plugs 28 29 are pro- In thefpresentshowing, the cable-clamp- .ing device D embodies a tubular body 34 whose interior is downwardly tapered at 35, and the-lower end ofthis body is' preferably provided with an upwardly tapered socket 36 through which the sheath 18 extends, said socketbeing filled w-ith some of the cement 27 05 to still further insureagainst entrance of moisture. It is the lower end of the body 34 which is threaded at 33 into'the tube T and this threaded connectionis of fluid-tight nature.

Within the tapered interior of thebody 34, there area number ofdownwardly tapered, cable-grippingwedges 38. In the present showing, a transversely split washer 89 rests on theupper ends of these wedges, and the tubular actuator A is threaded into the upper end of the body 34 into contact with said washer. This threaded connection is of fluidtight nature and it will be understood that downward threading of "the actuator A, causes depression of the wedges 38 thus crowding the latter "inwardly so that they forcibly grip the cable armor, taking all suspendingstrain from internal parts of the cable. This suspending strain is further carried by the'laterally projecting armor pertions 21 'and'the' associated means described below.

"A packing-containing hood 40 is shown threadedupon the upper endof the actuator A'a'nd prov1ded'w1th an ln'ternal downwardly facing shoulder 41. A washer 42 abuts this shoulder another washer 42 lies uponthe up per end of the actuator A and the laterally extended armor portions 21 are clamped be tween saidwashers. Above the washer 42,

the hood 40 is upwardly tapered and contains 7 appropriate packing 43. V

- I have above referred'to'a heatingunit U or to a plurality of such units, one being .shown'for illustrativepurposes. This unit is disposed in the casing C, between the washer 24 and a partition 44 which extends 'horizon- 1 ery of said boss, otheropenings 47 are formed through theboss at the lower ends of the openings 46, a plug 48 is threaded into the boss, and lock nut'49 ispr'ovided for said plug. Under the plug 48, a plug 5O is shown threaded' intothe tubing which fornis'theside walls of the casing" 0.; "A packing ivaslierfil contacts with the lower side of this plug, and' an other plug 52 forming the lower terminal of tl le'CilSl IlgiG fhOldS the packing in place, a -washer 53 being preferably interposed between said plug 52 and said packing," i As will be hereinafter more fully plained, the-heating unit-U embodies certain terminals which areQconnected with -.each other "above'the partition 44 if. a two-wire :cable C be usedas in Figs'. 2 and If terminals of theres'istance elements of the'unit U are to be grounded when using a one-wire system, the openings' 4647 ,the plug 48 and the lock nut 49 come intoplay, as in Fig. "8.

The explanatory nia'tter immediately ceding'may be more fully understood after giving a specific description of the heating unit U. Consequently, such description follows and reference is made more particularly to Figs. 9 to 17 inclusive.

54 denotes a vertically elongated metallic corewithin the casing G and of cylindrical form. This core has a plurality of circumferentially spaced recesses 55 formed longitudinally in its periphery, the inner sides of said recesses being preferably concentric with the casing C. In each recess 55, there is a metallic shell S of vertically elongated, transversely curved form. Two of these shells are shown and they each contain a resistance wire 56 and a conducting wire 57. The resistance Wire 56 is preferably of ribbon form and is wrapped around an insulating core 56 having wire-receiving notches 56". This wire 56 has terminals 56 and 56 at its upper and lower ends, passing to the exterior of the shell S. The conducting wire 57 is within an insulating tube 57' contacting with core 56, and insulation 57" is wrapped around the parts 56, 56 and 56". Wire 57 is pro vided with terminals 57 and 57 projecting from the upper and lower ends of the shell S. If the resistance wires within the two shells S are to be connected in parallel, using a twowire cable C, each terminal 56 is connected with the adjacent terminal 57 each terminal 56 is connected to one of the conductors 19 20, and each terminal 57 a is connected to the other of these conductors. This relation is illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. \Vhen the cable, such as G is provided only with a single current-conducting wire, the terminals 56 of the resistance wires 56 are connected with this wire, and conductors 56 are lead from the terminals 56 through the openings 4647 and into the tubular boss 45. The plug 48 is then tightenedto clamp these conductors 56, establishing a ground connection between the resistance wires and the casing.

The lock nut 49 is then tightened, and it will be understood that access to the parts 48-49, may be had byremoving portions of the casing below them. By proper connection of the terminals, plug 48, etc., the resistance elements may be connected in series if desired,

using either a one-wire or a two-wire cable.

Tubular necks 58 are shown projecting from the upper and lower ends of the shell S and lined with suitable insulation 59. The j terminals 56"56 and 57 -57", pass out-- wardly through these lined necks. Each of these terminals is of tubular form, the ends of the wires with which said terminals are connected being folded upon themselves at F received in the inner ends of the tubes. Each tube and the wire end therein are jointly given an abrupt bend 60 within the shell S. This not only prevents the terminals from pulling out of the shell, but prevents the ends;

of the wires fronrpulling out of said t er the shell may be assembled in flat form and a then curved into the shape shown in Figs. 9

and 10. Opposed to plate 61 is another sheet metal plate 62, the longitudinal edge portions 63 of this plate 62, being folded around the corresponding edge portions of the plate 61 as seen most clearly in Fig. 10. The upper and lower ends of the body portion of plate 62 and the inwardly folded portions 63 of this plate, are bent inwardly toward each other and welded'or otherwise secured as at 64, closing the ends of the shell S but leaving gaps 65 through which the necks 58 pass.

The construction above described for the unit U isadvantageous from a standpoint of manufacture, from one of efliciency in use, and from one of ease of installation. \Nhile in certain wiring systems, the conducting wire 57 is idle. it is instrumental in carrying out other wiring systems and in overcoming the necessity of running conductors along the exterior of the shell S or other portion of the unit U. l l

I prefer that the portion of the space between the parts 34-430, not filled by parts herein described, shall be filled with an appropriate moisture-excluding cement 66. To permit injection of this cement, the casing may be provided with a screw plug 67.

lVhile the various features of construction herein described and shown, are preferably followed, attention is again invited to the fact that within the scope of the invention as claimed, numerous Variations may be made. Moreover, while the specific features of heating unit construction herein disclosed are preferably used with the cable-holding and moisture-excluding means which I have described, it will be understood that a heating-unit of any desired construction could be employed with these other features. Moreover, while in Fig. 1, I have shown the heater suspended in an oil. well, between the casing of the latter and the pump tubing, it will be understood that this use is only one of many. Inthe figure in question, the cable is wound upon. a winch or the like 10 to be raised and lowered thereby as occasion may demand, and rings and brushes such as r-?; are employed to carry the'current to; the wires 1920, from the line wires the ends of said Wires 192O being of course connected tosaidrings. Within the line, any desired and well known instruments may be used for protective and other purposes, but, as they form no part of the present invention, they need not be described.

, Such terms as upper, ,lower, vertical,

horizontally, downwardly, etc.-, used in In my COQJCHCli-Ilg U. S. application Serial No.-225,354, filed OctoberlO, 1927, a heater casing shown havm a-cable--rece1vmg passagethro' igh which an armored cable extends for supplyingcurrent to the heater. A por- I tion-ot" the cable armor is outwardly bent:

and a sheath oi the cable projects beyond saidarn'ior. Then too, relatively hated and movable annular clampmg members are provided for'ti 'htlyclamping the outwardly a vertically disposed -current-conducting 1 cable having an armor. a sheathwithin and bent'arnior portion to tenaeiously connect the cable-with the heater casing. This subject matter is of course-generic to the present ape excluding filling means in said tube around said cable,-a tubu-larbody aroundsaid cable and. fluid-tightly secured at its lower end to the upper end of said tube,--cable-gripping means in said tubular body, a tubular actuator for said cable-gripping means surround ing said cable and fiuid-tightly connected with'the upper end of said tubular body, and packing means 'fluidtightly surrounding the cable at the upper end of said actuator.

2. In a heater, a casingior a heating unit,.'

said casingbeing provided with an upstanding tubular neck, av current conducting cable fluid-tightly secured at its lower end in said neck, a tube spaced around-said neck and cable, said tube beine'tluid-tightly secured at its-lower end to the upper end of said case lug-and extending ELlQOVGSEUClIlQCk, fluid-exciuding filling means in said tube around saidneck and the tube-contained portion of said cable above said. neck, artubular body around said cableandfluid-tightly secured at its lower end'to the upper end-oi said tube, cable gripping means in said tubular body, a tubularv actuator for said cable-gripping means surrounding said cable and fluid-tightly connected with the upper end of said=tubular body, and packing-meansfluid-tightly surrounding the cable at the upper end of said actuator.

3. In a heater, a casing for a heating unit, said casingbeing provided with anupstand ing tubular neck, a current-conducting cable fluid-tightly secured at its lower end in said necka tube spaced around said neck and cable, said tube being fluid-tightly secured at its lower end to the upper end of said casing and extending above said neck, a fluidexcluding cement in said tube around said receiving a portion 'ofsaidcement, cable--- gripping means in said tubular body, atubu lar actuator for saidcable-grip ung-means surrounding said cable and'fiuid-tightly connected with the upper end: of saidltubular; body, and packing means fluid-tightly'suerounding the cable at the upper end ofsaidactuator.

5L. Ina heater, acasing for a heating un-it,%-:

projecting beyond the lower end of said -ar.-

mor, and a conductor within and projecting.

secured at its lower end-t0 and risingfrom said-casino; aroundsaid projecting-sheath. portion. fiuid-excludingi:means in the tube around said projectinfisheath-portion, a tu--. lmlar body fluid-tightly connected at its lowor end tothe upperendot' saidtube, said tubular body surrounding the-lowerendlofsaid arn'ior, grippingmeansstor-said:lower end of the armor disposed in saidtubul'ai body, actuating means for :said. gripping means, a portion of said armor beingcutand 1 laterally directed above said grippingmeans,

and means-connected with thezupper endwof 1 0- said body for clamping said laterally directed armor portion, f

5. In a heater, a casingltor a heating unit," a vertically disposed current-00nducting. cable having.anarmon'a sheath within and projecting beyond-the lower end of said are mor, and a conductor withinand projecting downwardly from .said sheath; means con-' nectin the lower end t said sheath. tothe upper-end of-said casing, .a.tubefluid-tightly secured at its lower endt-oiand rising from said casing .around said projecting sheath. portion, fluid-excluding. means; inlthe: tube around said projecting sheathportion, a tu bular body fluid-tightly connected at its 10W V or end to the upper end of said lillbGySELlCl tubular body surrounding the lower end oi said armor, gripping means for said lower end of the armor disposed in said tubular body, an. actuator for said e'ripping. .me ansconnected to the upper end of said tubular body, aportion of said armor being cut and directed laterally at theupper end of said actuator, and means connected with sai d u per end of said actuator for-clampin said laterally directed armor portion.

6. In a heater, a casing for a heating unit, a vertically disposed ciu'rent-conducting cable having an armor, a sheath within and projecting beyond the lower end otsaid armor, and a conductor within and projecting downwardly from said sheath; means connecting the lower end of said sheath to the upper end of said casing, a tube fluidtightly secured at its lower end to and rising from said casing around said projecting sheath portion, a tubular body around the lower end of said armor and the upper end of said projecting sheath portion, the lower end of said body having an upwardly tapered socket in which said upper end of said proj ecting sheath portion is disposed, and a fluidexcluding filling in said tube and socket around said projecting sheath portion.

7 In a heater, a casing for a heating unit, a current-conducting cable extending downwardly to said casing and having an armor, a portion of said armor being cut above the lower end of said armor and directed laterally, a tubular radially-contractible cablegripping device around the cable under said laterally directed portion of the armor, and a clamping device for said laterally directed armor portion; said casing, said gripping device and said clamping device being con nected.

8. In a heater, a casing for a heating unit, a current-conducting cable extending downwardly to saidcasing, a tubular body above the casing around said cable and having a downwardly tapered interior, cable-gripping wedges in said body between its taper and the cable, and an annular depressor for said wedges having a threaded connection with the upper end of said body, said body being connected with said casing.

9. In a heater, a casing for a heating unit, said casing having an upstanding tubular neck closed at its lower end with the exception of a conductor-receiving opening, a cable whose lower end is secured in the upper end of said neck, said cable having a conductor extending downwardly through the neck and said conductor-receiving opening, a tube fluid-tightly secured to the casing and rising therefrom around said neck and the contiguone portion of the cable, fluid-excluding means in said tube around said neck and said contiguous cable portion, and fluid-excluding means filling said neck around said conductor.

10. In a heater, a tubular casing for a heating unit, said casing having a removable closure at its lower end and a horizontal partition above said closure, said partition having a downwardly projecting tubular boss, openings from top to bottom at the outer side of said boss, and openings from the exterior to the interior of said boss, said openings permitting passage of heater terminals through said partition and into said boss, and a plug threaded into the lower end of said boss for clamping said terminals. 11. In a heater, a tubular casing, an elongated metal core therein having longitudinal circumferentially spaced recesses in its periphery whose inner sides are substantially concentric with said tubular casing, ,said core contacting with said casing between said recesses, transversely curved metal jackets filling said recesses and contacting with said tubular casing, and resistance elements in and insulated from said jackets.

12. In a heater, a jacket having an opening, a resistance element in and insulated from said acket, and a tubular terminal passing through said opening and tightly receiving an end of said resistance element, said ter minal and said element end jointly having an abrupt angular bend within the jacket to prevent pulling of the terminal from the element and pulling of said terminal out of said. opening.

13. In a heater, a jacket, a resistance element in and insulated from said jacket and having its terminals exposed at two extremities of the latter, and a conductor in and insulated from said jacket and likewise having its terminals exposed at said extremities of the j acket.

14. In a heater jacket, a plate having a projectingsleeve on one end, and a second plate in opposed spaced relation with the first named plate and having its longitudinal edge portions folded around the longitudinal edge portions of said first named plate, the ends of said second plate being bent together to close the ends of the jacket, leaving a gap however through which said sleeve extends.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

DALTON U. POl/VELL. 

